Door



Dec. 15, 1936. l AL, ALLEN l 2,064,401

DOOR A Filed NOV. l, 1954 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a door adapted primarily for mounting on ships and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door so constructed and arranged that it may easily and quickly be removed from its mountings and after being removed from its mountings may be used as a raft or a float to serve as a lifesaver.

It is another object of the invention to provide a door so constructed and arranged that when it is used as a raft or oating support, means will be found on the door whereby survivors of a Wreck or the like may securely cling to the floating body.

It is another object of the invention to provide a door of this class so constructed and arranged that the handholds or clinging portions will be formed as an integral part of the door and not from separate attachments.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of the specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the invention.

Fig. 2 is ,a sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing the door comprises a body 'I on which are mounted the hinge portions or knuckles 8 which cooperate with the hinge portion or knuckle 9 mounted on the door casing l0 to swingably mount the door when the pintles Il are placed in position. Since it is intended that the door shall be removed from its mountings in the event of an emergency, it is of course quite necessary that the pintles shall bei easily removable and to this end a frequent oiling and loosening of the pintles should be resorted to. Formed on one face of the door body 'l is the groove l2, and flanges I3 and I4 over hang the groove l2 at its opposite sides. These flanges are rounded at their edges so as to be substantially semi-cylindrical in cross section. 5 These flanges provide hand grips and are thus rounded off to prevent injury or unpleasantness to the hands of the user when gripping the same.

It is believed obvious that in an emergency such a door when placed in the water will serve as an 10 eiective raft, and the gripping flanges would serve as means whereby the survivors could cling to the raft.

The surfaces of the flanges, as clearly appear in Fig. 2 are fluted, thus providing means for 15 preventing the ngers, when the float becomes wet, from slipping. It will be noted that the groove l2 does not extend clear across the door as it is necessary that the grooves do not intersect the cross bars ofthe door, as it is essential that sufficient strength be maintained in the door to withstand the strains to which it would be subjected to.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structurel shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 30 Patent is:

A door of the class described adapted for use as a float or raft comprising: a main body having a groove formed cross-wise centrally thereof in one of its faces, there being an inwardly projecting ange overlying the opposite sides of said groove to provide gripping means whereby a person may cling to said door when used as a float or raft, said flanges being fluted througho out their lengths.

LEWIS ALLEN. 

